Guntur: While some of the people living in some of the villages that are part of the state capital region are willing to give their land for the establishment of the state capital provided they get adequate compensation, others are reluctant to do so and plan protests.
Some villagers of Tulluru, Nelapadu and Sakhamuru said that they are ready to give their lands but want a better relief and rehabilitation package than the present one.
Meanwhile, villagers of Uddandarayunipalem, Mandadam, Linagyapalem, Rayapudi, Abbarajupalem, Borupalem, Velagapudi, Malkapuram, Kuragallu, Neerukonda and Nidamarru are reluctant to sacrifice their farmlands for the capital. They are planning to bring their issues to the notice of Cabinet sub-committee and stage protests demanding that they fertile lands be spared.
Farmers J. Kondandaramiah and M. Nageswara Rao of Tulluru said that they plan to seek a compensation package based on land value. “The government is offering a uniform compensation package, which is unjust. Farms on the roadside fetch a higher price, so the package must be decided accordingly. How can the same compensation be given to both fertile and barren lands,” they questioned, adding that the compensation of Rs 25,000 for losing crop was also unacceptable.
Farmers of Nelapadu and Sakhamuru too are of the same view, seeking a job for a family member, commercial space and 1,100 sq. yd. of developed land besides increase of crop compensation.
However, farmers of Uddandarayunipalem, Mandadam, Lingayapalem, Rayapudi, Abbarajupalem, Borupalem, Velagapudi, Malkapuram, Kuragallu, Neerukonda and Nidamarru villages are against the land pooling proposal.
Meanwhile, stating that the new compensation Act was beneficial for the farmers, senior CPM leader P. Rama Rao accused the government of deceiving the farmers through the land pooling proposal. “Landowners should be compensated by implementing the new Act,” he said.
Elsewhere, some farmers of Nidamarru said that the state government was biased towards inclusion of local legislators in the Cabinet sub-committee. The MLA of three villages in Mangalagiri mandal was not included in the sub panel as these villages were against the land pooling proposal, they said.
